Biographies: Carter C. McWright, 1981, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: October 28, 1981 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American

The Music Man

by Vernon Ray Davenport

Carter C. McWright, 31 year old Saginaw, Michigan businessman and a Winn
Parish native, has as he puts it, "Always had this thing for music."

He doesn't sing nor play an instrument, but today he is the owner and operates
two large record shops called "The Music Planet in Saginaw."

McWright said before he could get into business, he had to learn to save and
sacrifice.  The latter found him selling his car, a Cadillac, to get capital.

McWright now has 10 employees and the responsibility of running a business.

McWright, who has been living in Michigan for about nine years, is a graduate
of Pinecrest High School and Southern University.

The Winn Parish native is a well rounded young man.  He is a Sunday School
teacher.

"I love working for myself," said McWright who got business training as an
employee of J. C. Penny.

McWright is a member of the Black Businessmen's Association.  "We try to help
each other succeed, said McWright.

"Our association is concerned about better housing, lower crime rates, and
trying to bring better programs for youths." 

He said he has visualized a chain of music stores.  "J. C. Penney, Sears, and
General Motors had to start someplace," he said.

McWright feels music is cresting at an all time high.  He thinks there is a
great potential in the field of music.

McWright not only sells music, he also promotes it.  He is a promoter of
religious music throughout Michigan.  As President and founder of C and C
Productions, he brings such famous groups as the Mighty Clouds of Joy, Walter
Hawkins and Family, Fackson Southerners, Albertine Walker, James Cleveland,
and Shirley Caesar.

"A person who plans to be successful in business doesn't go into it
blindfolded," said McWright.  "If I only knew then what I know now..."

Everybody has probably said that at least one time in his life, but for Carter
C. McWright, it is more than just a favorite phrase.

McWright opened his first record shop about five years ago.  In spite of being
a college student, he soon realized there were many things he did not know
about running a business.

So, in 1978, he enrolled in Saginaw Country Chamber of Commerce Small Business
Seminar.  "It really helped me a lot.  If I only knew then what I know now, I
could have saved a lot of steps," McWright said.

"Among other things I learned about, the tax aspects of business and about how
to deal with insurance, one of the biggest problems in the black community. 
Very often people go into business very blindly.  It sounds like a good thing
to do, but they do not understand all the 'ins and outs' of it."

For a man who sold his car so he would have enough money to get into business,
McWright is now truly a man on the move.

McWright is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John McWright of the Cedar Community and
the brother of Mrs. Lucille Pearrie of Brown Street and Mrs. Minnie Davis of
Thompson Street, Winnfield.